His Only Weakness
by The Hope Lions
Summary: Kaia Lovelace has known for a long time that she was different, but it wasn't until she met Jedikiah Price that she knew just why. With the world on the brink of war, and Kaia straddling two sides, can both races survive?
1. Chapter 1

This is just something I started a few months ago when the show came on Netflix and I finally watched the last three episodes. I figure nobody is probably going to read it, but if you are I hope you enjoy the madness that is my mind.

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

The day Luca Jameson finally came back to school, I knew he wasn't the same person who'd left.

We'd known each other since elementary school and I'd always considered him my best friend. Sure, he was also my only friend, but I'd like to say I was his best too. I knew his every thought, his every action, or I had. Even I could never have predicted him disappearing without a trace for weeks only to return a new man.

And a man was what he'd become. Somehow it seemed he'd grown, but he also carried himself like a man. Luca didn't seem to have that know-it-all arrogance anymore, something had matured him, but not for the better.

His eyes were shallow, and scars lined his body. I couldn't help but wonder how deep the scars burned when he passed me without even looking up. "Luca," I called running up behind him. "Luca look at me."

"Hey, Kaia," he told me his voice soft. "I've got to go talk to teachers… I've missed so much work."

Yeah, he had, "I picked it all up for you. The teachers think you've had mono and I've been bringing you your work… I actually just did it for you. Figured it would make a good trade for an explanation."

The old Luca would have been thrilled at the thought of me doing all his work, this one only looked surprise, "There isn't much to explain. My dad showed up after 10 years and now he's gone again."

Gone. There was a permanence to the word that made me wonder just what made him go, "Are you okay though…because you don't look okay."He actually looked worse than 'not okay'; Luca looked like he had just dug himself from the grave.

"I'm fine. We're all fine. Everything will be normal again. I'm ready to be normal again." _**No more superheroes.**_

Superheroes? Did he mean the woman saving people and leaves roses anywhere? _Probably not, Luca has always had weird thoughts. _

Now before I carry on, I guess I should explain what I meant by that because you're probably ready to put this journal down thinking I'm mad. Well, I thought I was mad for a long time too, but eventually I realized I was just special. Some people are great at basketball…and I could read minds. Every 14-year-old girl needs her tricks, right?

"Just if you need anything, you know you can come to me, right?" I told Luca stepping in front of the moving boy. "I'm your best friend and I'm not giving up on you."

Luca smiled softly, but it looked more like a grimace than anything. "You are my friend, Kaia, but all I need right now is to be alone. Okay?"

Okay.

You're probably wondering why I didn't just read his mind then and there and figure out what was up. Looking back, I wish I had, but a girl had to have some principals. Those who play basketball don't dribble all day long, it wasn't fair for me to invade others privacy. If they're casting out thoughts it's not my fault when I hear them, but going into someone's mind and looking for something had to me against the telepath code…if such a thing existed.

I went to tell Luca that when he was ready I would be here, but he had already disappeared into the mess of students. Sighing, I walked into AP bio preparing myself for another gruesome day of high school.

As I studied the molecular models before me and tried to find the difference, I couldn't prevent my mind from wandering back to Luca. Whatever can keep a kid out of school for that long has to be important, but why did he seem so down? The last time he was like that would have been when his brother, Stephen, almost killed their mom's boyfriend.

See I can read minds, but Stephen was crazy enough to throw people over ledges. Maybe we both see the same therapist, but there were different levels of insanity. Some people have crippling anxiety and PTSD well others get psychopathic tendencies. Unfortunately for Luca, he tends to attract both types.

At lunch I found myself surprised to run into none other than Stephen himself. "Wow, I'm surprised to see you here. Your attendance record is messier than Luca's."

"Hey Kaia," he told me looking distracted. "We've just had some issues. Have you seen Charlie around anywhere?" Charlie? There were about 30 Charlie's in my grade alone. He'd have to be more specific. "She'd be in your grade, short, dirty blonde…the new girl."

Oh, her. She was in my English class but I hadn't caught her name, "Last I saw her she was trying to open her locker. 111."

"Thanks," Stephen called as he was already halfway across the cafeteria. I wondered who this Charlie was to him that he seemed so worried, but figuring that I'd find out from Luca sooner or later I didn't worry much about it.

Considering Luca had first lunch today and I didn't want to eat alone, I decided to ditch lunch and head home early. I only had last period study to worry about, and I could always hack the computers to make them think I was there. Besides I had almost gotten run over in the stampede to get out of school last week; it was probably safer for me just to leave early.

Or so I thought until I noticed the tall blonde kid following me.

He wasn't really a kid at all-probably in his late 20's, but the formal cut to his hair made him look younger. I could have mistaken him for a teenager if I hadn't seen him hanging around Luca's house once looking his age. I couldn't remember his name, or if he was a friend of Stephen, but I could recognize the look on his face.

It was a look of determination, and of loyalty. "Can I help you?" I finally asked spinning. I figured running wasn't my strong suite, especially when he had a good foot on me, so maybe I could talk my way out of whatever this was. Words happened to be a specialty of mine.

"Are you Kaia Lovelace?" he asked despite his face saying that we both knew I was.

"I sure hope so or you've been stalking the wrong person…John, right?"

He seemed surprised that I knew his name, but almost not surprised enough. "Yes. Kaia, would you be interested in some employment?"

I was 14 years old and saving for college and graduate school; of course I needed employment. "What kind of employment?"

"I heard you're good with computers," John admitted sliding an arm around me in a firm statement. "I know someone who needs that. Would you care to meet him?"

I tried moving John's arm, yet he wasn't budging. It seemed that cooperation was not only my best option, but also my sole one. "Sure. Do you have a car somewhere?"

John smiled, "I think we both know that not everyone needs a car to get around." I actually didn't know what he meant until I was ripped from time and space leaving all my air behind.


	2. Chapter 2

So I'm thinking I'll update about every Friday, hope you enjoy and thanks for the reviews!

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><p>Chapter 2<p>

Before it was ever tested I liked to think I'd be the type of person who'd take things like being teleported calmly, but my reaction made it evident that that wasn't the case. My whole body shook with terror and my lungs rejected the new air around me. Everything shut down except for my mind that whirled at 3.00X108 m/s, but only thought of one thing- _**You're not the only one with powers.**_

"What's wrong with her?" I heard John ask, but it sounded weird. Almost as if he was on the other side of thick glass.

"What did I tell you about scaring her?" a new voice answered through my daze. "Kaia, can you hear me? You're safe here. No one is going to hurt you."

But anyone could say that, and it wouldn't make it true. "Let me go! Please, get away from me."

John didn't listen and moved closer, but the other man held him back, "Like I said Kaia, we're not here to hurt you. Everything is okay, just breath."

Breathe. _**Without oxygen your body can't complete the process of cellular respiration and your cells will lack the needed energy and die. You need to breathe Kaia. In, and out, in, and out. Expand the diaphragm, collapse it. Expand, collapse.**_

There was something about looking at everything from a scientific point of view that always calmed me down. Survival was all that mattered, and I just needed to breathe to survive. "I'm…I'm okay," I stuttered my eyes focusing on the older, blonde man who'd spoken. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just got a bit startled…"

A bit startled was a major understatement, but the man nodded and offered me a hand up. Brushing myself off, I studied where John had brought me and realized with a start that it was nothing more than a lab. A fantastic and brilliant lab of course, but a lab like the ones I practically lived in. "Who are you? How can you?"

The man shook his head, "Not us, just John. I'm perfectly human…he's something more. Come into my office I'll get you a glass of water and we can talk. Apparently I have much to explain." The man walked ahead, but I stayed still. No way was I going anywhere until I got some answers. John must have noticed that because he smiled faintly.

"I'm John and this is Jedikiah. He's a molecular biologist that means…"

"It means he studies organisms on an atomic level," I answered calmly taking a step towards the office. "I hope I know the name of my own field."

I couldn't see Jedikiah's face, but I didn't need to to know he was smiling, "Yes, I would imagine you do."

Every TV show ever had glass offices, but they didn't seem very practical to me. I couldn't never get anything done if I felt like I had dozens of eyes on me at one time. Still, it must have bothered Jedikiah much because he seemed perfectly comfortable in his seemingly new swivel chair. More comfortable than I was at least in the hard plastic one on the other side of the desk. "Before I explain," Jedikiah began calmly. "I'd like to apologize on John's behalf. I was aware that you knew of the telepathy, so I never imagined you would be ignorant to your other abilities." Other abilities? Did Jedikiah mean I could do that teleportation thing too? "The three T's we call them. A standard group of abilities that all of your kind have: telepathy, teleportation, and telekinesis."

"My kind," I began him with a gulp. "Are we aliens or something?"

Jedikiah must have found the idea amusing, "No, not aliens. Evolutionary trial subjects you could say. Somewhere along the line, an ancestor of you and John had a protein shift that was passed down in a unique way. I've been studying this mutation for years and it appears to be neither recessive nor dominant. It's appearance is completely random, but perhaps inhibited or assisted my epigenetics, we have yet to do much research on that." So I was a mutant, like in X-men (which by the way was the most biologically inaccurate comic book in the history of comic books. The probability that so many extreme mutations could occur so closely together…) "Your species."

"Sorry to interrupt," I interrupted unapologetically, "but species? That implies we have an uneven number or different number of chromosomes from humans that makes us incapable of reproducing with them. Are you saying that that means both my parents are like me because…"

Jedikiah shook his head beaming like a kid on Christmas, "I guess I'll have to watch my terminology around you Miss Kaia. No, you're not a different species. You are 100% capable of reproducing with human beings as for your parents…well we've been struggling to identify your biological parents because the records are still closed."

"Wait biological parents?" No he couldn't possibly mean… "I'm adopted?"

"I'm sorry," Jedikiah answered sincerely. "I thought you knew. Yes, the mother who is raising you is not your biological mother… how you ended up in her care however has yet to be seen."

So I was adopted. Maybe I should have felt surprised, but I really wasn't. The scientist within me had always wondered where my blonde hair came from considering I'd never seen a light hair in any photo album no matter how far back I go. "Sorry, carry on. You were explaining how I'm a genetic mutation with superpowers."

The blonde-haired man chuckled, "I knew once you got over the initial shock of teleportation you'd be able to handle this."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm still terrified, but it makes sense, you know? I've been thinking forever about the lack of new, helpful mutations, so it makes sense to realize that there are some. I just never imagined I'd have the mutation myself, which is a ridiculous thought considering I have blonde hair and blue eyes both of which are a mutation. Especially when I've known for years that I had mutated to be able to read minds. I guess learning that there is a bit more to the mutation shouldn't surprise me."

Jedikiah nodded, but for once didn't speak right away. He studied me, studied the sweat on my face, and smiled sadly, "I've read your report Kaia. Your 171 IQ is beyond impressive, and after all the trauma you've suffered."

"Sir," I told him with a deep breath. "I already have a therapist who makes me talk about…about that weekly. I really don't need to talk about it anymore. Actually I have therapy in 27 minutes and need to get there. John said you had work for me. What is it?"

Jedikiah nodded, "Of course Miss Lovelace, I won't keep you. All I was trying to say is that even before you take in account that you're a Tomorrow Person, you're an incredibly talented individual. In two days I will be finalizing a deal with the department of defense which will allow for me to start up an institution where your kind can be trained and studied. Just a few weeks ago one of your kind almost murdered the entire city. The DOD understands you're not all threats, but there is a certain level of concern when it comes to your kind. The Rodger Price Institute for Genetic enhancement can be either your haven, or your worst nightmare. I'm offer you a place here as a scientist and computer genius. You'll be working directly under me, be getting tax-exempt pay checks from the US government herself, and providing your race with the research it needs to survive."

That sounded perfect, which led me to believe that there had to be some catch, "And?"

"In return you're to come here every day as soon as you leave school. I will expect a lot from you, Miss Lovelace, but you will be making a better life for yourself and others."

Still sounded way too good to be true, "If you're going to be running tests on my kind then you need test subjects. The only other person I see around here is John."

"I will expect you to undergo certain tests, but I wouldn't consider that a downside. Think of it as me giving you an opportunity to better control your own mind."

How did he? "Where did you hear those words."

Jedikiah's smile promised that they'd had their desired effect. "You said them to your therapist once. You told him that you know enough about anxiety disorders to know that the only way to get past one is to control your own mind. You wondered how you can control your own mind when no one seemed to be able to explain to you how it worked. Why don't you explain it to yourself?"

He was right. As little as I liked it, Jedikiah was very right, "Okay then. I'll be here as soon as I can tomorrow. Goodnight Doctor…"

"Price," he told me standing to let me out. "Goodnight Kaia. I look forward to working for you."

I nodded, unsure how else to respond, before dashing out to the street to catch a taxi. Something told me that this would be my last therapy session for a long time, and I should better make the most of it.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When I saw Luca again at school the next day I understood what had changed within him. He'd learned something about himself, something about his family, something that I now knew too.

No wonder the name of the institute rang in my ears. I'd known Luca since he moved to New York City…and accidentally originally introduced himself as Luca Price. "Are you a tomorrow person?"

I hadn't meant to scare him, but the lack of color in his face told me I had. Gently I grabbed his arm and pulled him into a stairway where we could talk. "Where did you hear that name?"

"Your uncle," by God I hoped Jedikiah was Luca's Uncle or this would get really complicated, really fast.

"Jediki…Kaia you can't trust him. He…he's not a good person….where did you even?"

Not a good person? What did Luca mean by that, and why was he so scared of his Uncle? "His friend, John, literally picked me up after school yesterday and brought me to him."

"Wait, you've seen John?"

A million questions ran through my head, and I didn't feel like asking them. There obviously wasn't enough time, so I tried not to feel guilty as I probed his mind for answers. And answers I got…just not what I expected. "Wait, Jedikiah killed your dad?"

"Shh," he answered pressing me against the wall. "How did you? Oh. You're one of them… I need. Just wait here Kaia I need to get Stephen he can explain better than I can."

"He's by his locker," I told my panicked friend both wishing I'd left this alone and glad to know what I'd just gotten myself into. Luca barely looked back in surprise as he dashed through the hallways to bring back Stephen, and the other girl, Charlie, with him.

Stephen was just shaking his head, "What does Luca mean when he says you know where John is?"

"John?" Charlie repeated looking like a kid in a candy store. "You know where John is. You can help us free him?"

"Fre… free him?" John hadn't looked like a prisoner to me. He actually looked quite content. "He's not being imprisoned. He's working for Jedikiah…I almost thought John was Jedikiah's son."

I couldn't help but feel bad as I saw the distraught look on Charlie's face, "John would never…"

"Charlie," Stephen told her a hand on either shoulder. "Why don't you go back to the lair? I'll talk to Kaia and we'll figure something out. Just tell Cara he's alive."

Charlie nodded, but she still looked ready to cry as she teleported away in a beautiful array of color. "Tell me exactly what happened."

And I did. I explained to Stephen how I had been reading minds for as long as I could remember, my chat with Jedikiah, and the offer he'd made me. With each word that came out of my mouth, Stephen paced back and forth faster. "It just doesn't make sense. Why would John stay with Jedikiah?"

"The man did give John his powers back," I reminded thinking of what I'd seen in Luca and then Stephen's head. "Maybe he feels a certain sense of loyalty."

Stephen shook his head, "You don't understand Kaia. Jedikiah used John for years and killed my dad-one of the few people John ever loved. He wouldn't be staying with John if he knew he had another choice."

"Maybe he doesn't realize he does," I answered my voice small. My oh my did that stop Stephen's infuriating pacing. "What Jedikiah did to give John his powers back…maybe it went wrong. Or maybe as far as Jedikiah was concerned it went right. Maybe it gave John his powers back…and took away his memories."

Stephen's face said that was exactly the kind of this Jedikiah would do. And to think I'd known it was too good to be true. "You know Kaia you might be right. But the only way we'd find out would be if…"

"If I kept my promise and went to work for Jedikiah," I finished for him with a gulp. "Just as you did back when he ran Ultra."

"No way," Luca told me speaking up for the first time. "You almost got killed working for Jedikiah… and Kaia you're younger than even me. And you have your…"

"My PTSD? Panic attacks? Anxiety? Yeah, Luca, I know, but so does Jedikiah. He's not planning to use me as a weapon…I think that's what John is for. He wants me for my brain. I'm probably the smartest person in a city of genii…and I can read minds on top of that."

Stephen shook his head, "Even if he doesn't want you to fight you'll end up doing so. You need to run Kaia. Leave town get away from Jedikiah."

"You want me to run away? What about my mom? What about my life? Besides…I don't think it will matter where I go. Jedikiah has the DOD working with him now…I'd have to leave the country to get away from him."

Stephen clearly didn't like my words, but there was an undeniable logic to them. The safest place for me probably would actually be right under Jedikiah's thumb. "I can find out what he's up to and relay info right back to you. It's what's best for all of us."

Luca realized this was swinging away from him, "You're not going to let her do this, are you?"

"He can't stop me," I told my old friend placing a hand on his shoulder. "And you both know it. I'm going to do what I think is best, and neither of you can stop me."

Stephen sighed, "She's right Luca. She's the only one who can do this. But Kaia, if you catch a hint of suspicion you run far away. The old Ultra headquarters is now where we all live. Meet me there once Jedikiah lets you leave."

I nodded, and just prayed I wasn't overestimating him. What if Jedikiah just decided not to let me leave?

_**Think positively Kaia. You're going to be a hero. **_

Unfortunately, most every Greek Myth ended with the hero dead.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"You came!" Jedikiah exclaimed startling me. (Though he should have been the one startled considering I'd just teleported myself onto his desk. Maybe he was used to teenagers with horrible aim by now.)

"Did you expect me not to," I chuckled picking up the papers I'd knocked down. "Sorry about this by the way…but I guess there's no such thing as beginner's luck."

Jedikiah chuckled, "Don't worry. I'm glad to see you trying out your abilities. John can help you get them under control."

Yeah, he could, after I figured out why he didn't remember his friends. "You said you were surprised to see me. Why? I said I'd come and I'm not in a habit of lying."

"Soon you will be," Jedikiah nodded still avoiding the question. "I just knew you were good friends with my nephews, Luca especially. I figured they'd talk you out of coming."

Jedikiah wasn't an idiot, which was probably a good thing, "Yeah, well the tried. Kept going on about how you'd killed their father." He opened his mouth to speak but I held up a hand for silence. "But I figured most murders don't name their life work after someone they killed in cold blood."

"My brother begged me to sacrifice him to save the human race," Jedikiah whispered and I knew his words were true. "And that is a burden I will have to carry for the rest of my life."

We all had our crosses. "They were also curious as to why John would be with you and not his family."

Apparently Jedikiah hadn't expected that issue to come up as quickly as Roger. "Well John is… John is an interesting case. He's the only one of your kind that can kill you see. When I restored his powers, he lost over a decade of his memories. He didn't remember the animosity between us, and I didn't have the heart to lose him again. I do, and forever will, see him as my son. It pains me to keep his past from him, but I think you better than most understand that sometimes there are memories better lost."

Yeah, I understood that. I had a few memories of my own I'd like to lose. "I won't tell him, but I think it would be in your best interest for you to. Sooner or later he'll hear it from someone."

"I'll sit on your advice," Jedikiah answered with a nod. "Now come on, we have a meeting with Admiral Robert Work the Deputy Secretary of Defense in five minutes. Once he signs on the dotted line we can truly begin our work."

Wow…important person much. "I'm still not exactly sure what we will be doing."

Dr. Price grinned, "That's why you need to be at this meeting."

It wasn't really even a meeting. John, Jedikiah, and I sat at one end of a long table, Admiral Work the other. He stared at John and me as if we were both weapons and terrorists, which I guess in a way we were. To someone like this that would be the only thing my kind would ever be seen as-threats, or tools. "Well then Dr. Price," he coughed out when he realized I noticed him staring. "I believe we just need to go over some final details about things pertaining to your staff."

By the way Admiral Work looked at me I was included in those details, "Oh, I apologize," Dr. Price answered flashing his patronizing smile. "Admiral Work this is Kaia Lovelace."

"Are you a paranormal, Miss Lovelace?" the admiral asked leaning forward in his chair.

"Yes, sir."

He nodded as if that was the answer he expected, "And how old are you again?"

"Four…fourteen sir."

The man only shook his head, "Dr. Price. A word please?"

To my surprise Jedikiah shook his head, "As I'm sure you're aware there is nothing you can say that John and Kaia won't learn eventually. They're both E2 you see, which means…"

"Your t-chips don't work on them," he nodded and I pretended to understand what that meant. (I figured it probably just meant that they couldn't control us.) "One of your first projects is to find a more powerful method, am I correct?"

Dr. Price nodded causing knots to tie in my stomach, "Yes, sir. That was part of our agreement."

The Admiral didn't seem happy, but he looked like he just wanted this meeting over, "Very well then. Miss Lovelace I'll need to do a brief interview with you afterwards so we can figure out your security clearance, nothing to be worried about dear."

"Of course sir," I told him hoping my fake smile looked a bit less fake than Jedikiah's. Still, Admiral Work must have approved because he turned back to Dr. Price.

"Now we're giving you a dozen specially trained operatives and every single researcher you request Dr. Price, so I hope you'll work diligently. I'll assign someone especially to you to vet for clearance when needed."

"Admiral," Jedikiah interrupted. "I was actually thinking that should be part of Kaia's responsibilities here. You see you have people who can work polygraphs, but Kaia is a telepath. She knows the answer to questions she hasn't even asked."

The man looked at me for the first time as if he realized I wasn't just a five-foot-tall teenager, but a powerful almost-human being. "Alright then, Dr. Price. I'll leave this in your hands. I'll expect monthly reports straight to my office. Do not forget doctor that Project X is of the strictest confidence. I leave here to go and debrief the president on the project. Need-to-know was invented for situations such as this… if the public was to discover that their own children could be mutants and they'd never know."

"We understand the importance of secrecy," Jedikiah vowed and I could tell he did. "And I'm sure we'll bring you results soon."

The Admiral slit his eyes as if trying to see the lie before finally nodding and signing a form that I could have sworn said "Top Secret". "Very well then. Miss Lovelace, with me."

Maybe I was just growing paranoid already, but Doctor Price seemed worried when I followed the man from the room.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I was starting to regret my criticism of glass offices; solid walls were much scarier. "I remember when my daughter, Kendyl, was your age. She just graduated from college…my how the time flies."

"Two years ago from Randolph-Macon with a degree in psychology," I whispered before realizing it would probably have been better to keep my mouth shut. The Admiral however seemed to find it amazing.

"I was just thinking that. Can you only hear what I'm consciously thinking?"

Something told me that he already knew the answer and just wanted to know how honest a kid I was, "No. I could see anything in your mind if I wanted to. I don't like to look though… I wouldn't want someone reading my mind."

"Yes, who would?" the man answered with a humorless chuckle. "You know security clearances are supposed to look either ten years back or to someone's 18th birthday whichever was closer. So tell me, what secrets did a 4 year old have?" From the chuckling within him the admiral thought that was the funniest joke ever. "Are you even in high school Kaia?"

I nodded, "Yeah, a sophomore."

Nope. That apparently was even funnier. "You skipped a year."

As if "Two sir; first and fifth. They stopped after that because they didn't want me getting involved in kids too much older than me."

"Miss Lovelace, I should make you sign a confidentiality agreement and send you home. It's not remotely legal for you to be working here, never mind the hours you will and the info you will learn." Well he wasn't packing me up yet so something told me that wasn't going to be the case. "But Dr. Price has you hear for a reason and well I'm not sure I trust the man…"

"He's the only one who knows enough to run the program." I didn't even need to read his mind to understand that. Even the government wondered if Jedikiah was a madman, but there really wasn't much they could do. "Sir, I would like to work here. Genetics have always been a passion of mine and I want to learn about my mind. I didn't even know I had a 'kind' until yesterday, but Jedikiah is giving me an opportunity no one else is getting."

Admiral Work nodded, "That's very true. Never-the-less you will remain a special situation. I'm going to do as much of a background check as I can, but you can work here for now."

Background check? Did that mean, "Admiral, I hate to ask, but you wouldn't be looking at my adoption records would you?"

"I didn't realize you were adopted Miss Lovelace, but I'll probably have someone pull them up. Why?"

Why? "I didn't even know I was adopted until yesterday…and I'm not sure it's in my best interest to wait until I'm 18 to get some answers."

"You want to know if your parents are like you," the Admiral correctly assumed with a smile. "And I'd like to know that as well. Very well Kaia I'll have my assistant forward them to you. Good day, and good luck."

He saw himself out, and I sat for a moment wondering what exactly I'd gotten myself into. I was a 14-year-old spy, who really had no allegiances at all.

No, that wasn't true. My allegiance was to anyone and everyone who needed help human, paranormal, or whatever else might be out there.

"Come here Kaia," Dr. Price called when he saw me appear. Cautiously I went over and saw him standing over a chair needle in hand. "Don't be nervous. My old partner came up with the idea of a tag-and-release method for paranormals. Unfortunately, his came with a kill switch. This injection isn't the same one, as in I can't kill you with it, but the DOD insists I be able to track all breakouts who are found. Technically you're still a breakout so…"

I didn't like the reasons behind this needle, but I understood then enough to nod. "I'm sure the DOD would tag all spies if they could too. We could be dangerous, I get that. Just do it quickly…I hate needles."

Jedikiah nodded, and true to his word it didn't hurt…much. Well actually it was like having a huge-ass needle stuck into your neck, but besides that…

Ding.

"What's that?" Jedikiah asked his eyebrows scrunched as he pulled the needle out and handed me a bandage.

Putting it on I pulled out my phone, "Oh, Admiral Work just had his secretary pull up my adoption records. We're both curious to discover if my birth parents are paranormals."

Jedikiah tried to look nonchalant, but I could tell he was just as, if not more curious than me. "What's their names? John can pull them up in our system and see if we have anything on them."

"There's only one name here," I answered trying not to sound as disappointed as I was. "I guess my mom wouldn't give the name of the father. Eve Gretchen."

"Where does she live?" Jedikiah asked far too quickly for my fried nerves.

"Um, um here… in Manhattan. Why, why? Do you know her? Is she like me?" Had Jedikiah come across my mom already and taken her powers? Or worse, had he killed her?

His pale face didn't answer, so John shook him a bit. "Jedikiah. Who is she?"

"She's a very powerful paranormal who disappeared almost 15 years ago now…" Jedikiah finally gulped out looking right at me with his icy blue eyes. "Kaia, can you teleport me to this address?"

Teleport to a specific address? I'd barely done it once! "I…I can try. But if she's dangerous…" If she was dangerous I wasn't quite sure what to say. She was my mother…shouldn't I have felt some loyalty?

_**Not after she abandoned you Kaia. She's not your mom, not really. **_

No. If she was dangerous, truly dangerous, then she deserved what she got. Grabbing Jedikiah's arm, I imagined the address in my head and before I knew it was ripped from the office.

I'd walked past these apartments a million times but never imagined my own flesh and blood could be living inside. "Number 16," I told Jedikiah who still wasn't answering my questions about what was going on and why he was acting so weird. It wasn't until a beautiful blonde woman swung the door open that I understood.

"Jedikiah?"

She knew him…she'd have met him 15 years ago at Ultra. 15 years ago when she would have conceived me. "Eve, Eve, I need you to answer honestly for once in your life. Did you have a daughter?"

_**Call him crazy. Shake your head. Please. **_  
>"Yes…yes."<p>

"And…"

"And she's your child. Kaia Price…if her adopted mom kept the name."_**How could everything go so wrong in such a short period of time?**_ "Jedikiah why are you…"

She must have notice me stepping out from behind him because her unsaid words hung in the air. She and I looked so much alike, but I hadn't gotten her brown eyes… I'd gotten Jedikiah's blue ones. "She kept the first name," I stuttered out without thinking. "I'm Kaia… your daughter."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I would have wondered how she knew I'd like my tea black, but I realized she knew me very well. I had her genes…her and Jedikiah's. _**It's a really good thing I rejected Luca and we stayed just friends…oh my God I'm his cousin.**_

__I was Jedikiah's daughter. Nothing seemed to matter except for that. Here I was, sitting in my birth mother's apartment drinking tea with my boss who may or may not be evil, and either way was my father.

"And you're sure I'm the father," Jedikiah's voice sounded soft, but I didn't know if he was whispering or if my mind was just playing tricks again.

Eve nodded, "There was never anyone else Jed…I named her after you. I hoped… I hoped you'd never meet though. I knew what it would mean if you did. But here you are, together. I guess that means."

"You knew it would always be this way," Jedikiah growled. Clearly whatever love they once had had long since dissipated. "What you did with me."

What did he mean? I didn't understand, but Eve clearly did. "It was what you always wanted. To have powers… and don't think I ever thought you slept with me out of love. You just liked that feeling."

Jedikiah's cheeks were red-either with fury or embarrassment. "Kaia, go back to base. I'll talk to you later."

"No way!" I told him attempting to shake out the stupor. "I'm not leaving without an explanation. What did she do to you?"

Unfortunately for me, Eve didn't seem very loose lipped either. "Listen to your father, Kaia. We need to talk alone."

"My father?" Is that what he was supposed to be to me? My boss, yes, a DNA donor, yes, but father? "I had a father once before, and it ended horribly. You're not my mother and he's not my father. You're just both people who I deserve answers from!"

Eve kept shaking her head, but Jedikiah had read my files. He knew what I meant when I said my last dad didn't end well…he knew the scars it caused. "Your mother is something called a synergist which means both of her parents were paranormals. That makes her particularly strong, like Stephen." Stephen was insanely strong. Surely my mother wasn't able to do the things he could. "She also has the ability to transfer energy from one person to another…a girl I'd imagine you've inherited."

My genius brain only needed so much info to connect its own dots, "She can transfer powers… she gave you powers?"

Eve nodded sending a chill down my spine. "Yes. It's only temporary and usually works for an hour at the most, but yes. Your father…" She must have noticed my look because she cleared her throat and continued. "Jedikiah, enjoyed the feeling of power. He grew in love with it…well I grew in love with him."

"Oh don't make me sound so callous!" Jedikiah protested. "You were only using me to get information about Ultra, so don't play the victim."

Oh my God. They were fighting like an old married couple and they never even married. Years of resentment and pain ignited like a crucible and before I knew it they were screaming so loud I couldn't hear my own thoughts. Eve's anger sent plates flying around the room, and when one cut my eye, I had enough. Telepathy also meant communicating with the mind, so maybe I could send them a message. **SHUT UP YOU'RE ACTING LIKE CHILDREN. I'M SUPPOSED TO BE THE KID HERE!**

I almost thought it hadn't worked, but my parents stopped. "How did you do that?" Jedikiah asked finally paying me attention.

"I knew it was something we could do," I told him with a shrug. "Figured if I could talk in your minds I could yell in it."

Jedikiah, however, shook his head. "That's not what I mean. It was like you slapped me, but with your telekinesis. I've never seen that before."

I hadn't even realized I'd done it, but apparently Eve felt it too. "When she was conceived you had powers…" the woman sighed picking up shards of glass she'd thrown. "That makes her a synergist with a mother that's a synergist. We shouldn't be surprised if she comes up with powers we've never seen before."

"No," Jedikiah muttered looking at me. "I expect she will have many abilities beyond the normal three." Kicking glass aside he headed towards the door, "Come on Kaia, I'll walk you home. I don't want you teleporting again until you've had some more training."

"She's your daughter, yet you still treat her as a lab rat," Eve spit stepping between us. "Why doesn't Kaia stay here tonight?"

No way. "Because my mother will be worried," I told her my eyes icy. "Or did you forget that you gave me up?"

I really, really hated the maternal look in Eve's eye when she answered. It just reminded me of what danger I was in. "I gave you up so he'd never find you. I guess it was a foolish hope thinking he wouldn't."

"I'm not some monster out to destroy you," Jedikiah told her placing a hand on my shoulder. "I want what's best for Kaia. For all of us."

Eve just shook her head and shut the door on us, "Whatever you say to sleep at night Jed, but know when you push Kaia too far I'll be the parent she looks to… and you'll be the one to never see her again."

Jedikiah was quite as we grabbed a taxi to take us towards the subway station. Even on the creaky old train, he wouldn't say a word…and I didn't know what to say. He was my father, but he was still a different species then me. Well not entirely a different species, but human were as I was... I wasn't human. "The DOD expects you to tag every one of us, but you didn't even try to get Eve."

The man, my father, sighed, "If I was to put your mother in the system I'd be forced to take her powers or use her as a weapon. It seems that despite everything I still care enough that I can't do that." Hmm. Maybe there was some love to the loving that produced me. Who'd have thought it would come from Jedikiah's side. "Since I started Ultra all those years ago I've had two girlfriend, both paranormals, and both had kids… Morgan wasn't going to tell me either. I don't even know if she's had it yet."

So I had a half sister as well? What was next, an evil twin for me to worry about. "I can explain to Luca…ask him about Morgan."

Jedikiah shook his head, "You really shouldn't be friends with them at all. Stephen is technically the enemy."

"You know they've taken over the Ultra headquarters but you don't seem to be storming the place to tag then," I reminded Jedikiah. "You care for them as well. You lost your brother; you can't bear to lose his kids."

Jedikiah's chuckle was humorless, but it sounded less forced than normal, "How do you know me so well?"

"Fifty percent of me comes from you," I told him smiling weakly. "I guess I just see myself." The screeching brakes alerted me to the passage of time. "I'm only a block away. I can get myself home, and I'll ask Luca about Morgan tomorrow."

Jedikiah shook his head, "Don't get yourself in too much trouble Kaia. And don't let the tomorrow people get into your head. I do care about you Kaia…and I'm not upset that you're like your mother. I'm proud."

"A father who's proud of me," I chuckled once the subway sped off Jedikiah with him. "Now that's a new one."

Still, I had to admit I kind of liked it.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"You never showed up yesterday," Stephen huffed the next morning. "I got worried something had happened."

Lots had happened, just not what he imagined. "The DOD wants all of us tagged. You'll have to come to me from now on because one click and they know where I am 24/7. But don't worry. Jedikiah claims it's not the same thing the Founder used. No built in kill switch."

Stephen still shook his head, "I still don't like you doing this. You're going to end up hurt."

"Jedikiah isn't going to hurt me." I didn't know much about the man, but I knew he cared about family. He wouldn't kill his own flesh and blood. _**He already has Kaia. He killed Rodger. **_But there were extenuating circumstances there. So long as I wasn't going to end the entire human race he wouldn't hurt me…hopefully.

"How do you know that, Kaia?" Stephen pleaded stepping in front of me. "Because Jedikiah said it?"

"Because he's my father."

I'd meant to wait for the right time, but there was no other reason. I had to trust Jedikiah with my life, because if you can't trust your own father, who can you trust? I had to believe that Jedikiah had the basic human instinct to protect ones kin. I had to.

"Jedikiah is my father, and you're my cousin," I told a shocked Stephen. "And no I don't really want to explain because I just learned myself last night."

Stephen shook himself awake, "Wow. Um… that's something. By God does that man need to learn how to use a condom."

I scowled at Stephen before closing my locker and cutting off the tips of his hair. "Whatever. He said I had a sibling right… well he didn't know if it had been born yet."

"June," Stephen answered following behind me. "She was born three days ago."

June. I had a little sister named June, but all it seemed we could share was a father who wouldn't watch us grow up. "Thank you," I told Stephen. "Oh, and I asked about John… Jedikiah admits to not telling John about his past, but claims the memory wipe was a mistake. I don't know if I believe him or not."

"I thought you said you trusted Jedikiah because he was your father," Stephen reminded me with raised eyebrows.

"I trust Jedikiah Price to keep me alive and out of Area 51," I corrected shaking my head. "I don't trust him to tell me the truth, and he certainly doesn't trust me. He knows I'm telling you things…I think he would like to think that our…whatever it is... will benefit him."

Stephen didn't like the sound of that. "I thought this chess game was over when the Founder died and I destroyed the machine."

"This isn't a chess game," I reminded Stephen with a pointed look. "This is our life and it only ends when we're dead. As long as we are what we are there is always going to be someone after us."

I'd planned on it being a dramatic exit as I walked into class, but Stephen grabbed my arm first. "You're not thinking of giving up your powers, right?"

Thinking about it? Yes. All night I'd tossed the idea about my head. I was sure I could convince Jedikiah to make me human, but for now I'd decided against it. I wanted to know what I was capable of before I gave up my abilities. "I think of a lot of things Stephen, but I'm not going to do anything rash. Jedikiah is walking a tightrope now that he knows he's my dad, and the deputy secretary of defense thinks of me as an innocent kid. For now I'm the only one in any position to help us."

"I was you once Kaia," Stephen told me unwilling to let my hand go. "I thought I could save everyone by myself, but it doesn't work like that. One person can't save the world."

He was right, but he was also so wrong. "I can't save us Stephen, but I can keep us from dying and for now that's all we can hope for."

The bell for class rang and Stephen finally let me go. Something told me though that he was still watching even when the door shut him out.

"You're Kaia, right?" Charlie asked sitting down next to me at lunch. "Luca told me all about you when he was stuck down in the lair."

As much as everything stunk to be a paranormal now, I could only imagine how bad it was just a month ago. "Yeah, Charlie, right?"

"Charlotte technically," she admitted with a shrug. "But I like Charlie better."

As the girl grabbed my hand in a shake, a pain consumed my body like a hot fire. I wasn't seeing anything, but I felt Charlie's terror like it was my own. _**My mom had the ability to transfer energy…and apparently I do too.**_

"Are you okay?" Charlie asked looking worried. "Did I hurt you? I've not very used to people yet."

Considering the ordeal she'd faced I was surprised he could even walk and talk like a functional person, "It's fine… I'm sorry about what was done to you."

"Luca told you?"

"No," I told her shaking my head. "I felt it when I touched you. It's just something I can do… True empathy. Not just understanding someone's emotions but physically feeling them on touch."

"That must be terrifying," Charlie decided with a sigh. "I'd hate to have that ability. Imagine touching a murderer and feeling that pure hatred…you haven't touched a murderer, right because then you'd actually..."

I shook my head silencing her, "No. That's actually the first time I've used the ability. Before now it was just something I knew I had. I get it from my mum…she's like us."

Charlie's face dropped, "I don't know what my parents are like because I've never met them."

"I just met mine yesterday," I told her with a laugh. "So don't give up yet. Don't ever give up." Don't give up …not until they bury you in the ground. It's only when you let them win that you lose the right to succeed.

Charlie laughed for much longer than a normal person would, but that made me relax. Neither of us were normal, and we never would be. And even if you took away our powers you wouldn't be taking away what made us special. The pain we've felt, that's what makes us powerful…not our genes.

"You should come by the lair sometime. One of us, Morgan, just gave birth to this little girl and she's so cute." June…my little sister.

"I'd love to, but it wouldn't be safe for me to," I admitted thinking of the tracker running through me now. "But when it is safe I'd love to meet J…this baby."

Luckily for me Charlie didn't hear me almost say the name I shouldn't have known. I really didn't want to have to explain my relationship with Jedikiah again…especially not to a girl he had tortured.

_**Your father is a killer and a torturer, yet you trust him. What does that say about you Kaia? **_

What did it say? Hopefully just that I had a horrible sense of judgment.


End file.
